Prominent Scandels During the Roaring Twenties

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During the 1920’s, many political issues were prominent within the United States, particularly within the federal government. Several problems included those regarding immigration, the eighteenth and nineteenth amendments to the constitution, and scandals, including the Teapot Dome Scandal. These specific topics contributed to the title, “The Roaring Twenties”, and also ultimately led into a depression. Immediately following the turn of the century, immigration into the United States began to increase, which led to the creation of many laws restricting the individuals who could be permitted into the country. “The Immigration Act of 1917 was a law passed by Congress on February 5, 1917 that restricted the immigration of 'undesirables’ and required eight-dollar entrance fee and a literacy test for those under the age of sixteen” (Tucker 1). This act created limitations on who would be permitted to enter the United States, making it more difficult for individuals to come start new lives. “Those who were uneducated, poor, or disabled were discriminated against, for the sake of keeping America “pure”. The Immigration Act of 1917 also excluded immigrants from many Asian countries (the “Asiatic Barred Zone”), and was followed by the Immigration Act of 1924, which added Japan to the zone, and limited the number of immigrants permitted in a given year to 2% of the number of residents from that same country residing in the United States” (“Milestones: 1921-1936” 2; Marcus 1). Those within the Asiatic Barred Zone were not permitted to immigrate into the United States, while those in other countries faced quota limitations that restricted the number of persons who could immigrate each year. This two percent quota caused a great decrease in ... ... middle of paper ... ... accepting a bribe and served a prison sentence and Secretary of the Navy Edwin Doheny was forced by public pressure to resign his office” (“Teapot Dome Scandal”). This scandal was detrimental to the government and the way it was viewed by U.S. citizens. It created a lack of trust for the government officials, despite the fact that this specific scandal was taken under control. Scandals such as the Teapot Dome Scandal destroyed President Harding’s career, among many other officials. The immigration acts largely impacted the population of America in the 1920’s, while laws such as the eighteenth amendment to the Constitution impacted the government, creating scandals within the “controlled” country. Despite efforts to keep the country pure, events such as these and the Teapot Dome Scandal demonstrate the significant problems being faced during the roaring twenties.

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